Effectiveness of WhatsApp Education and Support Messages for Urolithiasis Prevention

NCT05627622 | Active Not Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: StoneApp
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 200
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Kidney and ureteral stones are a common problem in primary care practice with increasing prevalence over the last few decades. Prevention of recurrent stones (which are usually composed primarily of calcium oxalate) is aimed at decreasing the concentrations of the lithogenic factors. There are several metabolic and dietary treatable components. In all patients with urolithiasis, adequate fluid intake and lower body mass index are key components to reducing the risk of recurrent stones. For most patients, additional beneficial dietary modifications are increasing intake of fruits and vegetables which are rich in potassium, and reducing intake of candies and sweetened juices which are rich in sucrose and fructose. In addition, for patients who have been prescribed medications, adherence to medication may become an important issue over the long term. Mobile technology has the potential to optimize health care and patient's adherence, especially through personal education and dissemination of health information. One of the most common technologies available on mobile is the WhatsApp Messenger® application. WhatsApp is a freeware messaging service; it allows streamlining patient-provider communication via text and voice messages, video clips and images. The research hypotheses are, first, that use of WhatsApp to disseminate information regarding stones preventive measures will have a substantial positive effect on follow-up compliance and on patient's adherence to the preventive measures. Second, the investigators expect reduction in cumulative stone recurrence rate.

Conditions

Urinary Tract Stone

Keywords

Urinary Tract Stone; Kidney Stone; Health Education; Preventive Medicine

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Stone recurrence

  Rate of participants with urinary stone recurrence

  5 years

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Mean time to relapse

  5 years

• Lost to follow-up rate

  5 years

Study Arms (2)

Experimental group,

EXPERIMENTAL

Receiving stone-prevention information on a monthly basis, using WhatsApp Messenger® application.

Behavioral: WhatsApp health education message

control group

NO INTERVENTION

will not receive stone-prevention information

Interventions

WhatsApp health education message BEHAVIORAL

stone-prevention information on a monthly basis, using personal WhatsApp messages

Experimental group,

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Capacity to give informed consent
• Personal history of urolithiasis
• Stone free status
• A personal mobile phone with WhatsApp Messenger® application

You may not qualify if:

• Children
• Does not read Hebrew, the language in which the messages are written

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rabin Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Rabin Medical Center

Petah Tikva, 49414, Israel

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Hosking DH, Erickson SB, Van den Berg CJ, Wilson DM, Smith LH. The stone clinic effect in patients with idiopathic calcium urolithiasis. J Urol. 1983 Dec;130(6):1115-8. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)51711-5.

  PMID: 6644890 BACKGROUND

• Skolarikos A, Straub M, Knoll T, Sarica K, Seitz C, Petrik A, Turk C. Metabolic evaluation and recurrence prevention for urinary stone patients: EAU guidelines. Eur Urol. 2015 Apr;67(4):750-63. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2014.10.029. Epub 2014 Nov 20.

  PMID: 25454613 BACKGROUND

• Ackermann D. Prophylaxis in idiopathic calcium urolithiasis. Urol Res. 1990;18 Suppl 1:S37-40. doi: 10.1007/BF00301526.

  PMID: 2291248 BACKGROUND

• Sromicki J, Hess B. Simple dietary advice targeting five urinary parameters reduces urinary supersaturation in idiopathic calcium oxalate stone formers. Urolithiasis. 2020 Oct;48(5):425-433. doi: 10.1007/s00240-020-01194-7. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

  PMID: 32524204 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Urinary Calculi; Kidney Calculi; Health Education

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Urolithiasis; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Calculi; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Nephrolithiasis; Kidney Diseases; Adherence Interventions; Medication Adherence; Patient Compliance; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• MIchael Frumer, MD

  Rabin Medical Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Urology Resident, Principal Investigator

Model Details: Randomized control trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 16, 2022
• First Posted: November 25, 2022
• Study Start: January 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: July 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IL (1)